Related Project

Trade Centre to be powered by wind

The
BD 35 million Bahrain World Trade Centre (BWTC) will become the first building
of its kind in the world to use wind power for energy production, it was
revealed yesterday.

Three
wind turbines will be installed at a cost of BD 1 million, officials told a
Press conference at the Sheraton
Tower.

The
BWTC building has been designed to harness the onshore breeze of the Gulf using
three massive turbines, said Shaun Killa, Atkins principal design architect and
designer of the building.

The
"wing" profile of the towers will channel the airflow through the turbines,
improving their function and energy generation output, he explained.

The
three turbines, each supported by a 30-metre bridge spanning between the two
towers, will be connected to generators and feed power to the building.

This
will reduce load on external power sources and mean financial benefits to the
building occupants, said Mr Kill‘Atkins'
architecture for the BWTC focused on providing an elegant and easily
recognizable form for Bahrain's
key international business institution," he said.

"It
is an internationally accepted fact that developments which embrace solutions
for conserving energy and the environment can be commercially sustainable.

"Clean,
renewable and without any greenhouse or gas emissions, wind energy has been
hailed worldwide as being the future of energy production."

Meanwhile,
DTZ Middle East regional manager Robin Williamson said the BWTC would be
recognized as a landmark throughout the region.

"The
addition of the turbines will further enhance its profile and put it on the
global map," he added.

"it
is estimated that the turbines will produce about 35 per cent of the total
power required for the building.

"As
leasing and managing agents for BWTC, DTZ is very excited to be associated with
a scheme of this nature."